The Illuminari Order
The Illuminari are a small but highly-specialized order of Rangers sworn to offset the chaos of war by protecting the innocent across the galaxy. The name is derived from an ancient Builder word for 'beacon' or 'guiding light'. The Order's Origins Ozbourne Wheeler (Fist of the light and Consort to Princess Uxia of Ekenwynn) created the order after witnessing the horrors of a Reaver invasion first-hand. He came to the conclusion that the evils of war and chaos needed to be actively met and defeated across the galaxy. He spent 15 years training the first three Rangers to uphold the values of the Order by defending the weak and spreading a message of peace throughout the galaxy. The Order's Oganizational Structure The Order consists of Rangers each with a numbered designation used as a rank. Oz, is "Ranger One" and each of the Rangers trained and inducted since have been given a subsequent designation. If a Ranger dies or retires, their rank-number is freed up and a lower-ranked Ranger will assume it based on merit as selected by Ranger One. When more than one Ranger is present they will defer to the highest ranked member. The Order's Core Beliefs #Protect those who cannot protect themselves #Resist the forces of chaos wherever it may thrive #Encourage peaceful resolution but be prepared for aggressive negotiation when it saves lives #Be vigilant for the return of the Reavers Each Ranger recites the following mantra when becoming a Ranger or when meeting other Rangers: We are Rangers. '' ''We walk in the dark places no others will enter. '' ''We stand on the bridge, and no one may pass. '' ''We live for Peace, we die for Peace The Order's Methods Due to the few number of Rangers in action at any time the Order operates with the theory of maximizing pressure on concentrated specific areas of leverage. This means that you will never see an army of Rangers overtly toppling a cruel regime. Instead, a Ranger would integrate with the culture and work from within to eventually topple the regime using careful application of force and the support of like-minded members of the populace. The ideal solution would be a peaceful coup but if lives can be saved by judicious application of violence then that is sometimes the choice that needs to be made. The Order's Growth Each Ranger is expected to train other Rangers when suitable candidates are identified. It is imperitive that all candidates hold the core beliefs sacrosanct in order to complete training. Training is a grueling process ultimately resulting in a highly trained and capable warrior-mystic-borg-rogue capable of engaging in a variety of clandestine or combat operations. In order to ensure the continued existence of the Order, at least 30% of active Rangers are engaged in training recruits at any time. The Order's Allies The Order is constantly engaged in it's own activities but often relies on the help of the Church of Gineer and the La Guardia for logistical support. Oz, himself, initiated the relationship between the three organizations when he realized their stated goals were compatible and he was in a position of influence to get things started off right between them. Rangers occasionally assist the Church or Cult in their efforts, as well. Current Members The number above denotes the Ranger's rank. For example, Oz is "Ranger One". Equipment Each Ranger has the following standard issue Mystic Gear (item varies by Ranger): * Mystic Skin lvl 15 (fortified to add +4 Def) * Enviroveil lvl 15 (fortified to add 3 hours duration) * Empower lvl 15 (fortified to add +12 Agility) * Null Screen lvl 15 (fortified to add +4 ERF) * Metallic Carapace lvl 15 (fortified to add +4 KRF) * Heat Shield lvl 15 (fortified to add 30 mins duration) * Buffer lvl 15 (fortified to add 30 mins duration) * Sharpened Perception lvl 15 (fortified to add +40% Perception) * Mental Fortification lvl 15 (fortified to add +6 Save vs. Mind) Back to Space Junk Story Projects Category:Space Junk